Vending cabinet



Sept. l, 1942.

. C. L. OREILLY VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet l-ATTORNEY.

Sept. l, 1942. I c. l.. oRl-:ILLY 2,294,689

VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1959 l '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. vCharles L OPez'd] Sept.

c. l.. QREILLY VENDING CABINET Filed May l0, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4ENTOR ezllly INV Charles 0 Sept. l, 1942.

C. L. OREILLY VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 5ATTORNEY.

sept; 1, 1942.

c. L. ofRElL'LY VENDING CABINET Filed May 10, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 61NvENToR Char/es L. Uwe-ily BY ATTORNEY Sept. l, 1942.

C.-u L. O REILLY VENDING CABINET n Filed May 10, 1939 minis 7Sheets-Sheet 7 ENTOR. Chaxdes .L 0 .illy

Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDINGCABINETCharles L. OReilly, New York, N. Y.

Application May 10, 1939, Serial No. 272,834

14 Claims. (,Cl. S12-152) This invention relates to cabinets fordisplaying various articles for sale and to coin controlled vendingcabinets, and more particularly to a combination cabinet having bothdisplay shelves, racks or compartments for articles7 served by anattendant and automatic coin controlled dispensing compartments.

'Ihe main object of the invention is to provide a combination sectionalcabinet structure capable of use either as a' display and sales cabinetserved by an attendant, or as a full automatic coin controlled vendingcabinet, or as a .combination of both for simultaneous use.

In carrying the objects of the invention into effect it is essential toprovide a cabinet structure having a minimum length and depth so as tooccupy a minimum floor area for a cabinet of given capacity. It is alsoessential that end and rear walls be provided for the structure toenclose the stock not exposed for sale, and to prevent access to andtampering with the coin controlled vending mechanism both while thecabinet is used as a full automatic vendor and when used as a manuallyserviced sales cabinet. That is,

when for instance, the cabinet is used as a full rminimum floor areathere can be no waste space between the cabinet sections and between thesections and the end and rear walls, and the sections must be readilyreversible upon a common base whose area is no greater than the combinedarea of the several cabinet sections.

To meet this condition I have devised a vending cabinet consisting of aplurality of reversible double sections mounted on a base, and enclosedby rear and end panels, the latter being hinged to the rear panel andprovided with locking means. These double sections are dividedvertically longitudinally of the cabinet to provide on one face acomplement oi stock carriers with a corresponding complement ofautomatic coin controlled dispensing mechanisms, andon the opposite facea series of display racks of uniform length and depth for manuallyserviced stock, and which racks without removal or displacement of thestock are extensible for proper display and ready access to the articlescarried thereby and capable of retraction to occupy a minimum space ofuniform depth when not in use. Each such cabinet section to permitreversal to bring either side into operative position is mounted on thebase for rotation and for lateral movement away from the rear panel atdiverging angles relative to each other to afford suii'icient clearancebetween the sections and between the sections and the rear panel topermit rotation without interference, and after rotation the sectionsare movable laterally at converging angles relative to each other toreset them in close proximity to each other and to the rear panel. Theend panels are opened preparatory to shifting the positions of thecabinet sections, and when returned to the normal position the endpanels are closed and locked thereby completely enclosing the stockcarried on the inner face of each section against access thereto andpreventing access to the automatic vending mechanism when not in use.

In practice any number of reversible sections may be provided for acabinet, but in order to permit reversal of the sections within aminimum space, the sections must be capable of lateral movement bothaway from the rear panel and at more or less diverging angles relativelyto each other. Thus, for instance, if two sections are employed, onesection may be arranged to move perpendicular to the rear panel and theother at a diverging angle to provide clearance for reversing, or bothmay be arranged to move away from the rear panel at diverging anglesrelatively to each other and the rear panel. For a three section cabinetonly the end sections would need to be moved outward at diverging anglesrelative to the rear panel and the intermediate section perpendicular tothe rear panel. In a four section cabinet the end sections would bemoved outward at similar diverging angles and the two intermediatesections would be moved at a lesser diverging angle, and for a livesection cabinet the center and end sections would move outward in amanner similar to a three section cabinet and the two intermediatesections would move outward at lesser diverging angles than the endsections in the manner of the four section cabinet. The degree ofmovement outward from the rear panel and the degree of angular movementof the sections relatively to each other in each case would only besuiiicient to provide the necessary clearance between adjacent sectionsto permit rotation on the base compartment for reversing the workingpositions.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is an elevation in perspective of the cabinet set for use as afull automatic coin controlled vending cabinet with the display racksfor service by an attendant in the retracted and concealed position.

Figure 2, an elevation in perspective of the cabinet converted into adisplay and sales cabinet for service by an attendant with the automaticvending sections in the concealed position.

Figure 3, a vertical cross-section cn the line 3 3 of Figure 1 showingthe automatic vending sections in operative position and the relativeretracted and concealed position of the displayr rack sections.

Figure 4, a vertical cross-section on the line 4 4 of Figure 2 showingthe cabinet sections reversed from the position of Figure 3 with thedisplay racks in extended position.

Figure 5, a horizontal longitudinal section on the line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure', a` horizontal sectional view similar to Figure 5 but showingthe end panels opened and the cabinet sections drawn forward preparatoryto reversing their positions.

Figure 7, a horizontal sectional view similar to Figures 5 and 6 butshowing the cabinet sections reversed-from the position of Figure 5 andone end section still in the forward position to show the nal movementof such section into position, and the display racks still in theretracted position.

Figure 8, an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 8 8 of Figure5.

Figure 9, an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 9 9 of Figure6.

Figure 10, a vertical section on the line I0 I9 of Figure 8.

Figures 11 and 12, enlarged sectional andT face views, respectively, ofa form of `locking device for securing the end panels after the cabinetsections are set in either position.

Figure 13, an elevation of a display rack panel looking from the left ofFigure 4 with the racks omitted to `show the hinged Asupporting leavesfor the racks folded inward preparatory to retracting the racks to theposition shown in Figure 3.

Figure 14, a top plan view of the parts .shown in Figure 13 and showingin dotted lines the swing of the hinged supporting leaves for the racks.

Figure 15, an enlarged vertical section showing details of the displayracks, and

Figure 16, a cross-section on .the line I6 I6 of Figure 15.

Referring to the drawings, it will be understood that the specificstructural details and particular type of automatic vending mechanismand display racks are unimportant, since various arrangements of`display racks and various types of coin controlled vending mechanismsmay be employed without departing from the objects of the presentinvention.

In Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate the complete combination cabinetadjusted, respectively, for automatic coin controlled vending andmanually serviced vending, I indicates a base consisting of threestorage compartments having side panels 2, partitions 3 (Figure 6), basetop 4 (Figure 8), doors 5, and rear panel 6 (Figures 3 and 4). The rearpanel preferably extends the entire height of the cabinet and to whichis rigidly secured the cabinet top enclosure 1 as seen in Figures 3 and4, and having end panels 8 (Figure 5) hinged thereto and which panelsextend from base top 4 to cabinet top 1.

The vending sections of the cabinet, as above stated, may be of anydesired number, three sections being shown, and in Figure 1 theautomatic coin controlled fronts 9 are shown in operative position, andin Figure 2 the manually serviced fronts I0 are Ishown in operativeposition. Each' section 9 I0 constitutes a unit in itself and comprisesfor automatic vending a set of article stacks II, Figure 3, with a coincontrolled mechanism I2 for each stack I I for effecting the dischargeof articles from the stacks onto delivery chute I3. The stacks aresupported by brackets I5 within metal frames I4 which are mounted onbase plates IS and within which frames the coin controlled mechanisms I2and delivery chutes I3 are also supported as seen in Figures 3 and 8.Upon the opposite side of frame I4 of eachl section is'` supported a.series of display racks I1, I1a, I1b and I1. These racks are preferablymade of sheet metal open at the top and having a back wall I8endwalls-I9 and bottom 20, Figures 15 and 16, the upper edge of. the backwall being bent over as at 2| to provide a stiffening rib, and the endwalls being bent inward to a right angle as at 22 to form a .supportingIslide flange, Figure 16. Across each end wall is secured an angle plate23 extending from the rear wall to a point near the front edge of theend wall and spaced from the slide flange 22. Attached to the undersideof bottoms 20 of racks I1, I1a and I1b are a pair' of slide plates 24,Figures 15 and 16, extending approximately the width of bottom 2) andwhich plates have a sliding fit between flanges 22 and 23 of the rackbelow as seen in Figure 16. Each slide plate 24 has a downwardlyprojecting lug 25 against which the rib 2I of the lower rack abuts tolimit the forward movement with respect to the rack above as seen in thedotted line position of Figure 15. The uppermost rack I1 is held in xedposition by screws 2B upon the back wall of frame I4, and theintermediate racks I1a and I1b are provided with a pair of stops 21bolted to the back wall of the rack to engage the back wall of the nextlower rack to limit the forward and rearward movements with respect toeach other as seen in Figure l5. The end walls I9 of each rack are bentinward to a right angle I9a at the front edge, Figure '7, and the frontedges of bottoms 20 are bent upward to a right angle 2tu as seen inFigures 2 and 15, and on each end wall I9 is secured an angle plate 28,Figure 15, which with the flanges I9a and 20a on the end walls andkzigttom form retaining slots for glass front plates Thus, from theforegoing description of the racks, it will be seen that the lower racksare suspended one from lanother and from the top rack by slide anges 22and 24 and are capable of being slid forward and backward with respectto each other as seen in Figures 3 and 4. To provide additional supportfor the racks, especially when loaded, a pair of stepped supportingleaves 30 are hinged to the frame I4 .by long hinges indicated at 3I,and which leaves when swung outward as seen in Figures 4 and 14 placethe steps 3l)a under and in contact with the slide :plates 24 of racksI1, I1a and I1b and the front edges 3l)b will press against the rearwalls I8 of racks I1a, I1b and I1. Thus the steps of the leaves 30 helpto support the weight of racks I1, I1l and I1b and hold racks IIa, I1band I1c against backward movement upon their slide members and againstvibration. The supporting leaves when the display racks are to beretracted preparatory to reversing the cabinet sections are closedinward as seen in Figures 13 and 14 and then the racks may be slidinward one under another as seen in Figure 3.

The base board or plate I6 of each reversible section S-IU has attachedto its underside la metal Iplate 32, Figure 8, which plate 'may -beeither square as shown in dotted lines in Figures and 6, or of any othershape, and secured to base plate I5 by screws 33. Plate 32 is seated-for rotation on a slide plate 34 which has parallel bevelled edgeshaving a sliding t between bevelled guide strips 35 and slide rest 3Swhich are secured together and to the slide base-plate 31 by screws 38,Figure l0, and base 31 is secured upon cabinet base top 4 by screws 39.The cabinet sections are rotatably held on slides 34 by pivot bolts 40.The slide members 34-35--36 and slide base 31 are mounted on cabinetbase top 4 in angular relation to each other and to the rear panel 6 asseen in Figures 5, 6 'and '7. In this illustration of a three sectioncabinet the slides for the end sections are set at a forty-ve degreeangle relative to the slide for the middle section which is setperpendicular to the rear panel. When the number of sections are variedthe degree of angular relation of the slides will be varied as aboveindicated, and in each case the corners of the obliquely set slides willbe cham-fered to t within the limits of the cabinet base top 4 as seenin Figures 5 and 6. The fore and aft movements of the slide plates 34are limited by stops 4I secured to the underside of the slide plates anda pair of stops 42 secured to the upperside of slide bases 31, Figure 9.Each slide plate 34 is locked in the retracted position by a locking pin44 which enters a hole 43 in slide 34, Figures 8, 9 'and 10.

The locking pins 44 for the slides 34 have a sliding t in bushings 45inserted through the base top 4 and each pin is provided with a stirrup46, Figure 10, within which slides the oblique section of the lockingpin operating rod 41. These rods slide in bearings 48 secured to theunderside of base top 4, Figure 8, and a buier 49 at the forward end ofeach rod abuts against the inside of a door 5. Each rod 41 is fprovidedwith a cam slot 50 through which passes Ia pin 5I -carried by stirrup45, and each rod has connected thereto a spring 52 which tends to drawthe rod forward from the position of Figure 8 to the position of Figure9, and in which movement the cam slot acting on pin 5| draws the locking.pin 44 downward to release the slide 34 and permit lateral movementbeing ini-parted tothe slide and cabinet section preparatory to rotatingthe section for reversal of its operative position. In the lockedposition of slide 34 the locking pin 44 is held in bolt-hole 43 by camslot 50 against the pull of spring I52 by the locked door 5 whichengages the buffer 49 as seen in Figure 8. To release the slide, door 5must be unlocked and allowed to open, whereupon the spring will pull therod 41 forward to withdraw slide bolt 44. When the lcabinet sections arereversed and shifted back to the normal position as above described,that is, when slide stop 4I engages the rear stop 42, the slide bolt 44will be free to enter the bolt-hole 43 when rod 41 is pushed backagainst the pull of its spring by the :closure of the door 5 actingagainst buier 49.

In the three section cabinet, the cabinet base will for convenience bedivided into three compartments as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a keyoperated lock 53 will be provided for the middle compartment. The endcompartments may also be provided with key operated locks but:preferably will =be locked from the inside by bolts 54 set inpartitions 3 to engage keepers 55 on the inside of the doors as shown inFigures 5 and 6.

The end panels 8 when closed are locked from the inside to the frames I4of the end cabinet sections, Figure 5, by swivelled keys 54 mounted onpanels 8 by plates 55, Figures 11 and 12, the keys being turned to passthrough slots 56 in the `frames I 4 and turned at right angles to lockthe end panels to the frames. 'I'hese keys are located on panels 8 to.project in front of article stacks II as seen in Figure 3 and areaccessible for operation by opening the front panels 51 of the end)cabinet sections which are spaced out from the stacks II, and whichpanels are locked by key operated locks indicated at 58. When thecabinet sections are reversed to bring the manually serviced racks inIposition as shown in Figure 4, the locking keys 54 will project infront of the frames I4 and when the keys are turned to locking positionwill engage the end walls of the upper xed racks I1 as seen in Figures2, 4 and 7.

Front panels 51 are spaced from stacks II for the purpose of permittinglight from lamps 59 at the top of the cabinet, Figures 3 and 4, to beprojected down through openings 60 in frames I4, Figure 5, into adisplay compartment for 9a extending in front of the stacks II, Figure1, in which samples of the articles carried in each sta'ck II aredisplayed. These panels 51 may be entirely of glass in a metal framewith the upper section opaque to shut the article stacks I I from viewand the lower section adjacent the display Icorripartments Ila will be:clear glass to expose the articles placed therein to the View olfpurchasers. When the cabinet sections are set to .place the manuallyserviced articles carried by racks I1 in servicing position as seen inFigures 2 and 4,

the light Lfrom lamps 59 will lbe thrown on the .articles displayed inthe racks when fully eX- tended as in Figure 4.

It will be observed that when the cabinet sections are set in operativeposition for automatic vending as in Figure 1, the manually servicedrack sections are concealed and positioned in close proximity to therear and end panels of the cabinet as seen in Figure 5. To reverse thesections, the right and left iront panels 51 are rst unlocked to giveaccess to keys 54 and permit unlocking of the end panels 8. When thesepanels are unlocked and opened, the front panels 51 are closed again andlocked. Then the middle storage compartment door 5 is unlocked to permitunlocking of the end doors 5. The opening of these doors permitstheautomatic unlocking of the three cabinet section slides 34 through thepull of springs 52.. The cabinet sections may now be drawn forward onthe cabinet base I as above described to the positions indicated inFigure 6 in which movement thev end sections are shifted diagonallyrelative to the center section on the obliquely positioned slides, theoutward and diagonal movements of the three sec'- tions being onlysuiiicient to permit the corners of the cabinet sections to clear eachother and the rear panel as the cabinet sections are rotated in eitherdirection on the slides to reverse the operative positions. In Figure 6one section is shown in the partly reversed position in dotted lines toillustrate the clearance for the corners of the cabinet sections. Whenfully rotated the cabinet sections are moved back on their slide basestoward the rear panel 6 as shown in Figure 7 where the sections areshown reversed from the automatic vending position of Figure to themanually servicing position. When all three sections are fully back inposition the end panels 8 are closed and locked by turning the keys 54,front panels 51 are closed and locked, and then the compartment doors 5are closed and locked thereby shifting the locking pins 44 to lock theslides and cabinet sections against withdrawal. When the cabinetsections are fully set and locked in the position of Figure 7, thedisplay racks I1 are drawn forward into display position as shown inFigures 2 and 4 and the hinged supporting leaves are swung outward tosupport the racks and hold them against backward movement. While thecabinet sections are above described as reversible to present the samefront as in Figures 1 and 2, it will be understood that the fronts maybe varied by presenting a combination of coin controlled and manuallyserviced fronts. Thus, in the three section cabinet, the end sectionsmay be set to present the coin controlled fronts and the middle sectionthe manually serviced front, or any desired variations of suchcombination. In either case the operation of unlocking the sections,shifting the sections laterally and reversing them on their bases,shifting laterally back to normal position, and relooking the sectionswill be the same as above described.

It will be understood that while the combination cabinet is describedand illustrated in the drawings as having all sections reversible, oneor more sections may be in fixed operative position and others rotatableto bring different fronts into operative alignment. For instance, in athree section cabinet the middle section may be fixed or allowed toremain stationary on the base and have only one operative front or side,while the end sections may have two operative fronts and mounted forlateral movement and rotation on the base to bring either front intooperative position on a common front. It will also be understood thatwhile the cabinet sections are illustrated in Figures l and 2 as havingthe operative fronts in a straight line, the important point is, thatwhen set, the several sections will be in close alignment to present acommon operative front. It will also be understood that other changes inshape and alignment and manner of mounting the cabinet sections upon thebase may be made While still maintaining the features of reversibilityof the sections, close alignment and common operative front withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a basemember, a plurality of cabinet sections mounted thereon in closealignment to present a common operative front, each cabinet sectionhaving a plurality of operative fronts, means whereby said sections arerotatably mounted on said base member to permit presentation ofdifferent sides of said sections to the operative front for accessthereto, a panel for covering the sides of the cabinet sections oppositethe common front. and end panels for covering the outside ends of thealigned sections.

2. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a basemember, a plurality of cabinet sections mounted thereon in closealignment to present a continuous cabinet front, each cabinet sectionhaving a plurality of operative fronts, means whereby said sections arerotatably mounted on said base member topermit .presentation ofdifferent sides of said sections to. the operative front, a xed rearpanel on the base member extending the entire height and Width of thealigned cabinet sections, a fixed top panel extending over saidsections, and movable end panels for covering the outside ends of thealigned sections.

3. In a cabinet as defined in claim 1, a locking mechanism for thecabinet sections for locking the sections in the operative position.

4. In a cabinet as dened in claim 1, a locking mechanism for the cabinetsections comprising a locking pin for each section and means for movingthe pins into and out of locking position.

5. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a basemember, a plurality of cabinet sections, and slide members on the baseon `which said sections are mounted for lateral and rotary movementrelative to said base member to permit presentation of different sidesof said cabinet sections to a common front in closealignment.

6. In a cabinet as defined in claim 5, a locking mechanism for lockingthe slide members in the normal position and locking the cabinetsections in the operative position.

7. In a cabinet as defined in claim 5, individual locking means for eachslide member for locking same in the normal position and locking thecabinet sections in the operative position.

8. In a cabinet of the class described, the cornbination of a basemember, a plurality of cabinet sections having two oppositely facingoperative fronts, a coin controlled vending and delivery mechanism onone front and a set of display racks for manually serviced vending onthe other front, slide members on the base on which said sections aremounted for lateral and rotary movement relative to said base member topermit presentation of either front of the several cabinet sections tothe operative position, a rear panel for covering the rear fronts of thecabinet sections, and end panels for covering the outside ends of thealigned sections.

9. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a basemember, a plurality of cabinet sections each having several operativefronts and set relative to said base in close alignment to present acommon operative front, and means mounted on said base member forsupporting and guiding said cabinet sections whereby one or more of saidsections may be moved laterally for rotation relatively to each other topresent different combinations of cabinet section fronts in closealignment on such common operative front.

10. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a basemember, a plurality of approximately fiat-sided cabinet sections havingtWo opposite operative fronts and arranged relative to said base inclose alignment to present a common operative front, and means mountedon said base member for supporting and guiding said cabinety sections,and whereby one or more of said cabinet sections may have a movementimported thereto to separate, reverse and re-set the cabinet sections inclose alignment to present a different operative front.

11. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a commonbase member, reversible cabinet sections having opposite operativefronts, either of which fronts may be presented on a common operativefront, a rear panel in close proximity to and covering the inoperativefronts of the cabinet sections, and means mounted on said base forsupporting and guiding the reversible cabinet sections, and whereby saidsections may be moved laterally relative to said rear panel and rotatedrelatively to each other to present diierent combinations of cabinetsection fronts on the operative front with all sections in closealignment on said operative front.

12. In a, cabinet of the class described, the combination of a commonbase member, a plurality of movable supporting members on said basemember, a cabinet section having several operative fronts rotatablymounted on each of said supporting members, said supporting membersbeing so positioned on the base member that the cabinet sections in thenormal operative position are held in close alignment on a commonoperative front, and means for guiding said supporting members formovement in definite angular relation to each other, whereby uponmovement of said supporting members the close alignment of the cabinetsections is broken and the sections freed for rotation to presentdifferent fronts on the common operative front when returned to thenormal operative position.

13. In a cabinet of the class described, the combination of a commonbase member, a rear panel extending upward therefrom, a plurality ofmovable supporting members on said base member, a cabinet sectionhavingseveral operative fronts rotatably mounted on each of saidsupporting members, said supporting members being so positioned on thebase member that the cabinet sections in the normal operative positionare held in close proximity to the rear panel and in close alignment ona common operative front, and means for guiding said supporting membersfor movement outward from the rear panel and obliquely relative to eachother to provide clearance between the cabinet sections for rotation topresent different fronts on the common operative front when returned tothe normal operative position.

14. In a cabinet of the calss described, the combination of a commonbase member, a rear panel extending upward therefrom, three alignedmovable supporting members on said base member, the middle supportingmember being set for movement perpendicular to the rear panel and theend members being set for movement obliquely to the rear panel, acabinet section having several operative fronts rotatably mounted oneach of said supporting members, said supporting members being sopositioned on the base member that the cabinet sections in the normaloperative position are held in close proximity to the rear panel and inclose alignment on a common operative front, and means for guiding saidsupporting members for movement outward from the rear panel to provideclearance between said panel and the cabinet sections for rotation.

CHARLES L. OREILLY.

